The 'Mame' event: A dazzling adventure in feel-good theater at NSMT

By Sally Applegate / Correspondent

Wednesday

Jun 6, 2018 at 2:02 PMJun 6, 2018 at 2:05 PM

North Shore's production of 'Mame' is quintessential Broadway.

North Shore Music Theatre is back for another season in Beverly -- "Peter Pan," "Mamma Mia!," "Jekyll & Hyde" and "Hairspray" are all on the docket later this year -- and it's hard to imagine a better realized kickoff for it than this rambunctious version of the Broadway classic "Mame."

This rowdy musical starts with a sweetly quiet street scene as an orphaned boy is gently guided to the home of his only living relative, Mame Dennis. The plaintive melody and prayer-like lyrics of "St. Bridget" are beautifully realized by Lauren Cohn as the boy's nanny Agnes Gooch and by young Jake Ryan Flynn as the 10-year-old Patrick Dennis. These two are both Broadway performers and it shows.

Cohn, a Broadway veteran, has an absolutely stunning voice and comedic skills, and Flynn, whose enormous role keeps him on stage through much of this production, is natural and touching as young Patrick, and is a fine singer himself, just back from his Broadway debut playing Charlie in "Charlie and the Chocolate Factory."

The quiet is broken as Patrick is delivered into the middle of one of his Auntie Mame's riotously noisy parties -- a whirling pastiche of brilliantly colorful costumes on energetic and expert dancers. The acrobatic ensemble is a major driving force throughout this lively production.

Paige Davis has it all as Mame: the voice, the looks, the dancing, the comedy and the pathos. This Broadway veteran has an exceptionally versatile singing voice, that can purr sweetly at some times, and fill the theater at others.

Broadway veteran Ellen Harvey is the lucky performer who gets to take on the role of aging alcoholic actress Vera Charles, who is Mame's closest friend. Also a powerful singer, Harvey sparkles in the satiric "The Man in the Moon" (is a lady!), rocks the stage with Davis in "Bosom Buddies" and also has some truly touching moments during the evening.

Audiences seem to wait for the famous title song "Mame" and they are rewarded at the end of Act I with a phenomenal production of it. The creativity of director Charles Repole, music director Milton Granger and choreographer Michael Lichtfeld has combined to explore endless varieties of this iconic song, from tones soft enough to reveal a banjo playing in the background to the furious full blast of a major Broadway musical number as original choreography is brilliantly executed.

David Coffee always gets a hand from NSMT audiences as they wait for his next appearance as Scrooge in "A Christmas Carol," and here Coffee delivers a deliciously grouchy Dwight Babcock. (Coffee has a full theater career flourishing in many other theaters, notably in Texas.)

George Dvorsky is a convincing singing silver fox as Beauregard Jackson Pickett Burnside -- falling for Mame and becoming her next husband.

Jonathan Shew has a fine singing voice and is natural as the older Patrick Dennis.

Carl Hsu manages Mame's apartment as Ito. Tricia DeSario is adorable as a new love for Patrick. Brittany Bigelow is amusingly annoying as Patrick's original fiance Gloria. Jim Walton delivers continuity as M. Lindsey Woolsey. Beckett Guest plays Peter Dennis, the newest grandchild for Auntie Mame to instruct in the art of individuality.

This is an evening of nonstop hit songs delivered by marvelous singers, and acrobatic choreography propelling this vivid and colorful production through to its satisfying finish. "Mame" is a Broadway classic, and a fitting introduction to NSMT for first-time audience members, and to what a true Broadway hit looks and sounds like for first-time viewers of a Broadway musical.

IF YOU GO

Performances of "Mame" continue at North Shore Music Theatre through June 17 with performances at 7:30 p.m. on Tuesdays, Wednesdays and Thursdays, at 8 p.m. on Fridays and Saturdays, and with 2 p.m. matinees on Wednesdays, Saturdays and Sundays. Kids 18 and under save 50 percent at all performances. Tickets are $59 to $84. For tickets and information call 978-232-7200, visit nsmt.org or visit the box office at 62 Dunham Road, Beverly.

Meet the Theatre, post-show audience discussions with the artists, will be on June 12 after the 7:30 p.m. performance and June 16 after the 2 p.m. performance. Out at the North Shore, an evening for the Gay and Lesbian Community with a post-show reception, is on June 14 after the 7 p.m. performance.